How Oklahoma's Young Running Backs Are Still Finding Their Fit in College Football

Kalib Hicks and Daylan Smothers arrived in the spring and have been riding the usual freshman wave as they transition from high school to the college game.

NORMAN — The transition from high school to major college football player can be overwhelming.

At Oklahoma, a couple of freshmen running backs are making their way.

Kalib Hicks and Daylan Smothers come to OU having reached stardom at their high schools and in their communities. Carrying the football up and down the field and spending a lot of time in the end zone brings celebrity and fame and endless acclaim — and also sometimes unrealistic expectations.

In DeMarco Murray’s running backs room, Hicks and Smothers arrived behind Jovantae Barnes and Gavin Sawchuk, a couple of exciting sophomores from last season. They’re also behind Marcus Major, a fifth-year senior. For that matter, they’re also behind former junior college transfer Tawee Walker.

“They’ve done good. They’ve done well,” head coach Brent Venables said. “DeMarco, if he was getting interviewed right now, he’d say we want to do better. Be more consistent. Have more of a sense of urgency all the time. But they’re coming along. And they’re learning from the older guys. Jovantae and Marcus and Gavin, they’re all having great camps, too.”

Kalib Hicks :: John E. Hoover / AllSooners

Venables said on signing day that Hicks was routinely the best player on the field when he played in Texas at Denton’s Ryan High School. Smothers, on the other hand, was made to sit out his senior year after a transfer glitch.

That explains why, starting last spring, Hicks has been slightly ahead in practice and scrimmages, why maybe he looks “college ready,” as opposed to needing time to catch up. They’re both young and green, but at least Hicks was able to play his senior season.

The transition for a freshman often goes beyond football, too.

Smothers, for instance, reportedly left Norman and flew home to North Carolina after a just couple weeks of training camp and then returned just a few days later. No reason or details were made public, but Venables said it wasn’t anything unusual or anything to be concerned about.

“Normal, off-the-field stuff,” Venables said. “No big deal. He’s back and everything’s great. He’s in good grace.”

Murray, one of the most decorated players in program history and a former NFL superstar, brings an old-school approach to his coaching style, and can be demanding with his high standards. He’s literally done it at the highest level — he was NFL Offensive Player of the Year when he won the league rushing crown and also owns OU records for all-purpose yards and touchdowns — and he coaches his players to give tremendous effort, always be precise, pay strict attention and be great teammates.

Daylan Smothers :: John E. Hoover / AllSooners

Murray, now in his third year at his alma mater and his fourth year as a college football coach, has been a teacher for all of his guys.

“He’s pretty helpful with everybody,” Barnes said. “If it’s just me going in, he’s teaching everybody, what am I doing wrong or what am I doing right, or ‘Look at his mentality. He’s not trying to go out of bounds. He’s trying to stay inside, so stay inbounds.’ Just stuff like that, he’s great with teaching us.”

One thing the group has shown consistently is that Murray now more talent and depth than he had at the position last year, even with the big season from NFL-bound Eric Gray. Hicks and Smothers have indisputably improved that part.

“We’re trying to create depth and we’re trying to find out who are the guys that can be counted on,” offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby said. “Tawee’s another guy that’s had a good start to camp. With those guys, and then adding Kalib in and Hollywood (Smothers) and a couple of others, we’ve got a chance to have a really deep room, and that’s what we need.

“Again, the steady guys have been Gavin, been Jovantae, without a doubt Marcus has had a great start to camp. So need to continue that trend. Obviously we all know what he can do for us when he’s on the field and when he’s healthy. He’s got to stay that way. He’s had a good start as well.”

How will that translate to productivity and offensive efficiency? What will the OU offense look like — a lot of Dillon Gabriel throws, or heavy with handoffs to the backs, or something more balanced?

Whatever their role in 2023, the OU backfield looks promising.

“Running backs, we’re doing well,” Sawchuk said. “We’ve got a lot of things to work on still as a unit, not just as a running back room. I feel like we’re doing pretty well. I feel confident in our group. I feel like we’re executing well.”

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